Hope

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (NIV) Matthew 9:36-38

Jesus saw that the people were helpless. . . His heart went out to them. . . and as a result, He took action! Hundreds of thousands of people needed to know the Savior, so He sent His followers to go out to the people and share about the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ disciples were “His feet” going out to share the Good News, “His hands” ministering and healing the people, and “His mouth” telling others about Him. They may have been few in number, but they had a radical impact on the world!

Today, we are called to be “Jesus’ feet” going out into the world to share the Good News that God loves men, women, and children. . . and He wants to have a relationship with them. We are called to be “Jesus hands” ministering, serving and spiritually healing those who are hurting. And we are called to be “Jesus’ mouth”, having a ready answer on the tip of our tongue as to why we have hope for the future.

Who around you needs a relationship with God? Are you being God’s feet and going to them? Are you being His hands and reaching out, listening, empathizing with them, and developing a relationship? And are you being Jesus’ mouth, sharing the most important message of all time. . . that Jesus Christ died to pay the price for the sins of all men and women?

We may be few in number, but we can have a radical impact now and in eternity!

It’s amazing how so many things that we take for granted in the US that are special treats for our kids in Lesotho. I’m not sure that I’ve ever enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as much as I did on my last visit to Lesotho. I know that their smiles made the sandwiches taste extra yummy! The next time you sit down (or drive through) to grab a quick bite remember how precious a simple pb&j is to kids across the globe! ~ Mike

A drink and a bite to eat brings a smileLove the stacks of pb&j’s!!!!Oh, this precious face!Winter packs from Anchor Your Life and Up With Down’s. These sweet and grateful children is why we do what we do

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. . .All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit . . . (NIV) Acts 2:1-2, 4

The Church experienced the presence of God and those people were never the same. . . the world was never the same! Immediately the Church began to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the hope of eternal life. After hearing the Truth about Christ, 3000 people began a relationship with Jesus. And because it was the Passover and many of the people in Jerusalem were tourists, the Word of God spread to the outer most regions of the world.

But it was the presence of God which prompted the proclamation of His purpose, to bring salvation to all mankind. Has the presence of God in your life prompted you to proclaim His purpose? Do those “everyday people” (those you come in contact with on a regular basis) know that you are a Christian? Does your lifestyle look different than that of your neighbor? How is the presence of God seen in your life?

If you answered no to any of those questions, I encourage you to take a moment, bow your head and ask God to change you. . . ask Him to release His presence in your life with such power that you can’t help but proclaim His purpose! All it takes is a willing heart, God will do the rest!

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” . . . But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV) Acts 1:4-5, 8

Jesus had died. . . 3 days later He rose from the dead and appeared many times . . . once to as many as 500 followers. And He promised to send them a gift from His Father. That gift was the Holy Spirit. Jesus related the receiving of the power with being witnesses to all mankind.

The only hope that we have to evangelize our world is through God’s power. And with that power, comes the responsibility of being a witness to what God has done through Jesus. . .and a witness to what God has done in and through your life.

When was the last time that you shared with a “Pre-Christian” the story of what God has done in your life? You may say, “But I’m not an evangelist!” Neither were those who Jesus addressed in Acts 1!

Take a moment now and list 3 people that you know who do not have a relationship with Christ.

Pray that God’s Spirit will prepare those individual’s hearts and minds so that they will be ready to clearly understand who Christ is and what He has done for mankind (John 15:26). And pray that God will continue to give you opportunities to build your relationship with those individuals and that you will act on those opportunities.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense– Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (NIV) 1 John 2:1

John writes so that they will not sin. How incredible! The reality though is that we will sin. But, there is hope. Fortunately, God knows we will never be perfect, at least not in this lifetime. God knows we will sin. He expects us to sin, that’s why He sent Christ. It says in 1 John 2:1: “we have” – the verb tense is in the present. We have an advocate or a mediator. One who represents us before the Father and is our defense. One who can perfectly represent both man and God. Jesus is our Advocate. He is in an eternal face-to-face relationship with the Father. He sits at the right hand of God, pleading on behalf of all believers. He lives to intercede for us.

The picture of this comes from Zechariah 3:1-7 in the Old Testament where Joshua, the high priest, has returned from captivity in Babylon. He stands before God and Satan in filthy garments. Joshua represents the sinful people. God is there to judge him. Satan is there to accuse him. Satan is like the prosecuting attorney with a seemingly open and shut case. But, Joshua has an advocate, Jesus Christ, acting as his defense attorney. Jesus stands at God’s right hand, and silences all the accusations of Satan.

The Son of God has already served the sentence for the people’s sinfulness. Instead of condemnation, God removes the filthy clothes, symbolizing Joshua’s sinful nature, and replaces them with clean, rich garments. Joshua is made clean.

This is what Jesus Christ does for us when we believe in Him and confess our sins to God. He has already paid the price for our sins on the cross. He removes our filthy garments of sin and clothes us in His righteousness. Have you replaced your filthy clothes with Christ’s righteousness? If not, why not put on a fresh set of clothes today?

The question for Christians today is not, “Does God exist?” but: “Who is our God?” God is not an abstract, unknowable being, or a nameless power, He has a personality. One of the ways His personality is understood is through the particular names He assigns to Himself. A good understanding of the names of God leads to a better understanding of God Himself.

The term for name in the Hebrew (Old Testament) language most likely meant, “mark, or individual mark”. A name communicated something of the essence, character, and reputation of the individual. In the ancient world, a person’s self was expressed and contained in his name as seen in 1 Samuel 25:25: “He is just like his name– his name is Fool, and folly goes with him” (NIV).

In the Greek (New Testament) language, the word for name comes from a verb that means to know. Thus a name correctly described the person and indicated his character. God’s names disclose His nature. “Knowing the name of God,” meant knowing his identity and personal character. For those who know and acknowledge His name comes trust and hope in Him (Psalm 9:10; 91:14). This hope and trust is in stark contrast to those who don’t “know His name.” In Psalm 79:6 and Jeremiah 10:25 it is written that God will pour out His wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge Him and peoples who do not call on His name.

Since God is both transcendent (absent and removed from the world) and immanent (present and active in our world), no one name can fully describe God. Here are just a few of examples of how He reveals Himself to us through His names:

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up {with} wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (NAS) Isaiah 40:31

Except for the Garden of Eden, never in history has man escaped troubles, suffering and trials. Oftentimes the world seems to be without meaning or purpose, but God promises the people of Judah, as well as Christians today, that He will give hope, strength and comfort to those who trust in Him. But, the key to receiving God’s strength is revealed in Isaiah 40:31. Isaiah states that those who hope, or wait in the Lord, are the ones who renew their strength. But, “waiting” as used here, is not meant to suggest a neutral position. The verb means to wait with confidence, in expectation, trusting in God.

Waiting for men is difficult. In a society where instant gratification is expected, it is against human nature to patiently wait. Instead, we try to make things happen in our own way, by our own doing. But, as Christians, waiting on God is the rule, not the exception. We must learn to accept the fact that it takes time to grow and become the product that God desires for us. As David tells us in Psalm 62, we should wait in silence, in stability, and in confidence, which comes only from God.

The Hebrew word to “wait” is “qavah,” meaning “to bind together,” perhaps by twisting. It is by twisting ourselves around God’s strong nature that we ourselves receive strength and confidence in Him. We do not possess these traits ourselves, but God makes them available to those who wait and hope in Him. In return, God promises to “renew their strength.” The Hebrew verb used here for “renew” means to “exchange power or strength,” indicating that God will exchange man’s weakness for His strength.

Are you in a waiting mode? Are you waiting in silence, in stability, and in confidence? or have you given up hope? Try “twisting” yourself around God’s strong nature and in turn, receive His strength!